Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, will travel to the White House for an official working visit with US President Donald Trump on November 18, a White House official confirmed on Monday.
The visit takes place as President Trump is actively encouraging Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, a series of agreements that normalized relations with Israel. In 2020, the Trump administration successfully brokered deals with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
Riyadh has shown hesitation to join the accords, indicating that it will not do so in the absence of meaningful steps toward Palestinian statehood. In an interview broadcast on Sunday, President Trump told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that he believes the Saudis will ultimately join the agreements.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss a potential US-Saudi defense agreement. Reports suggest both countries are hopeful of signing such a pact during the visit. The Saudis have been seeking formal security guarantees from the US for the kingdom’s defense, as well as access to more advanced American weaponry.
